


Friends Will Be Friends

by Sadbhyl



Series: Smith & Harkness [6]
Category: Sarah Jane Adventures, Sarah Jane Smith (Big Finish Audio), Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Gen, Jossed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-30
Updated: 2011-08-30
Packaged: 2017-10-23 06:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadbhyl/pseuds/Sadbhyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah has plans, but they aren’t making her friends any too happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends Will Be Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This series was originally written waaaay back when, starting in May of 2006, shortly after School Reunion aired and a few months before the premiere of Torchwood, when the Sarah Jane Adventures were barely an idea. Which explains some of the poor characterization in the early chapters, especially Ianto. I struggled with the idea of revising to fit canon, but decided to leave it as an archive. Everything's pretty much Jossed, but have fun with it anyway.

“Did you find anything?”

Sarah resisted the urge to shout over the ruckus of the noisy pub. It was her first chance to get near a phone that was less likely to be monitored by Torchwood surveillance. Instead she stuck her finger in her ear and trusted Nat to be able to hear her.

She did. “Yeah, we pulled out everything you needed. Documents, org charts, the works. I even found a paper trail from Torchwood to our blessed PM Christmas before last.”

“I’d wondered if she was involved with them.”

“I don’t know if I’d characterize it as involved,” Nat practically sneered. “She had to beg them to take action, and even then they were hesitant. Didn’t want to give her the Defender of the Earth platform to run on next election. They’re the ones who started the smear campaign against her health.”

Having been the victim of a similar attack, Sarah could sympathize. “Poor woman.”

“So now that we’ve got it, we’re done, right?” Nat sounded more anxious. “You set up your blackmail to protect your friend and get the hell out of there?”

“Not yet.” Sarah knew what Nat’s response to that was going to be, and she wasn’t disappointed.

“Dammit, Sarah!” Now her voice was easy to hear above the crowd. “You can’t stay there, it’s not safe!”

“Nat, I’m fine, really—”

But Nat’s protest was the match to the fuse. The time bomb on the other end grabbed the phone away from Nat. “SJ, you’re out of your mind!” Josh’s voice was tight and concerned. “They know about you, too, you know. You have to get out of there!”

Her knight in denim armor. Sarah couldn’t help wondering what tied them together more, the fact that he’d killed for her or the fact that she’d saved his life. She sighed. “Josh, I can’t. There’s something else going on here, something I can’t quite pin down. Once I have that, I’m out, I promise.”

“At least let me come help—”

“Josh, no. You have to stay away from here. They certainly won’t let two of us in, and if you start pushing and bullying, they’re going to think we’re close to something we shouldn’t be.” Her voice hardened. “Promise me, Josh.”

She could read his resistance in his thundering silence. “Oh, all right,” he finally huffed out. “Just remember to send up a flare if you’re in trouble, alright?”

Sarah was about to answer when she sensed a presence behind her. Jack was standing in the passageway, his hands in his pockets as he watched her, his head cocked in charming curiosity. Smiling benignly at him, she murmured to Josh, “The fewer interruptions I have, the less time I’ll have to spend, okay?”

Josh chuckled, although she could hear he was still tense. “Message and password received, boss. Just… Be careful, Sarah. Really careful.”

“I will. Bye.”

Jack sauntered over as she hung up the phone, his arms now crossed over his chest. “Husband?”

She smiled wistfully. “No.”

“Boyfriend?”

That made her laugh. “Hardly. I’m far too old for boyfriends.”

Jack looked her over with an intensity that warmed her skin. When his eyes met hers, they had a dark, smoky quality to them that made her heart beat a little faster. “I wouldn’t say that.”

Composure was hard to come by, but she did her best. “Josh is just a friend. An overly protective friend.”

“He knows where you are?”

“He thinks I’m undercover.” It was only a partial lie, which was so much easier to get away with. “He always worries when I’m working.”

“Has he ever seen you handle a boron cannon like you did tonight?” There was a bit of awe in his voice. “I think even Owen was impressed. And he doesn’t impress easy.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t.” She smiled sweetly, folding her arms over her chest in mirror of him. “I picked up a few things back when I was covering UNIT.”

“So it would seem. Tell you what,” his arm slipped around her waist casually as he drew her back into the taproom, “how about I trade you a pint for a couple of stories back in the day? Everyone’s real curious about the tiny little reporter with the big…gun.”

She let him guide her, fully aware of what he was up to. But she could spare a safe story or two. It was the best way to get him to tell some of his own…


End file.
